Mechanical frictional damping is often used to dissipate vibrations in machines with rotating parts. The type of friction damper to be used is a function of the type of motion (mode shapes and frequencies) to be damped. Not all friction dampers can be fitted mechanically nor may perform as well in all applications. The mounting and localisation of the damper on the part also affect the amount of damping obtained. The surrounding environment in which the damper is to be used must also be taken into account. Accordingly, several damping schemes typically may have to be tested in order to determine the amount of damping that can be obtained for each particular application. In addition to being efficient, the solution must be inexpensive, easy to assemble while still being reliable.
There is thus an ongoing need to provide new vibration damping schemes for different parts to be damped.